Traveling conveyer system.



PATENTED NOV. 28, 1905. C. BERGHOEFER. TRAVELING OONVEYER SYSTEM.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 26, 1903.

. PATENTED NOV. 28,1905.

0. BERGHOBFER. TRAVELING GONVEYER SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 25, 1903.

2 SHEETS-5113B! 2.

UNITED I STATES CHARLES BERGHOEFER,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TRAVELING CONVE YER SYSTE M.

- Specification of Letters Patent. I Application filed May 25, 1903. Serial No. 158,668.

Patented Nov. 28, 1905.

To all whom it may concern.- Be it known that I, CHARLES BERGHOEFER,

' a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cooka-nd State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traveling Convey'e'r Sys toms, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to conveyers, and refers particularly to a traveling system adaptec t'o bemoved to any point in the length of a long dock or yard to load or-unload any portion of said dock or yard. Heretofore long docks have been e ui ped with expensive structures extendingt eiiill length of the dock frontage, one at the front and the I other. at the rear of the dock, which strucstructures, substituting for them a structure tures are connected by a movable bridge.-

s anning the intervening storage-space.

One of the'objectsof this invention is to do. away with the necessity for such-permanent having a length much less than the entire frontage, which structure is movably mounted upon wheels running upon suitable traction-rails extending along the dock frontage. By this arrangement" the traveling structure may be moved to command any portion of' the storage-space on the dock.

The 'mvention further refers to the various improvements in structure and in detail,

- hereinafter more fully vpointed out.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is a side elevation of a structure embodyin the features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a top; plan view of the same. 7 p

- Referring to the drawings, A designates a, dock commanded by the traveling conveyor system of this invention, and A the storagespace upon said dock. Along the forward edge ofthe dock is a track A and alon the rear line of the dock a similar track A ear the track A and parallel therewith a third track A is provided, and between the tracks A and A a car-track'A is located, upon which latter track carrying-cars .A r'nay be is supported a on a platform B comprising a portion of t e bridge B; The loop B is provided with a series of rollers B for guidmg an endless traction-cable, tobe herein after described. Between the tracks A and A the bridge B has an elongated opening B to ermit the passage of operating-cables for a c am-shellconveyer system, to be herein after more fully described. The forward ends of the tracks B and B? are provided with outwardly-turning, curves B and B, respectively, carried by the bridge, each of which curves has a series of uide-rollers B for directing the traction-cable Above its track-surface the brid e B is equippedwith a conveyer-track B For the clam-shell system thereon. The'bridge-supporting structure is provided with a loading-chute, B for receiving the material from the clam-shell buckets and delivering it to the carrying- 7 5 cars A upon the; track A An elevated unloading platform C extends along the forward edge of the dock A and is supported by a suitable structure C, the lower portion of which structure carries 8o traction-wheels 0 running uponthe track EV; whereby the unloading-platform may be moved to an position along the dock. "T he unloading-p atform has a track C for so v orting one or more unloading-towers, to hereinafter describedyandis provided with an'endlesstrack Cfin the form of a narrow elongated loop, the/sides of which track-for convenience will bef designated as O and C V and the curved ends thereof C and C The 0 curves O and C are each provided with guide-I'ollei's"C for the tractionecable. Carryin -cars.C areadapted to run upon the trac ofthe 10, across the .bridge B, upon the tracks 4 and B and around the 5 100 B at the rear end of said bridge.-

- he unloading-towers D, ashereinbefore stated, are adapted to be moved upon the track C and thus may be brought into coin- I cidence with the hatchways of a vessel to Ice remove the-cargo. Each of the unloadingtowers Djhas an arm D projecting out from the tower, and within the tower is provided a chute D for receiving material from the clam-shell buckets of the unloading system and discharging it into the carrying-cars C upon the track C. on the platform 0.

' The loading clam-shell system is the same i for each of the unloading-towers and will 7 next be described. A clam-shell bucket E 5 in gdrum of ordinary construction is connected, by

ether end is wound upon the bucket-opening.

-. Power for rotating'the' hoistingand the'bucket-openmg drum E s to--.s1ipp lie( l by means of a prime mover (not shown) locatedat any convenient oint.

- loadin clam-shell system fiir removdhg'fnaterial om the storage-space A: comprises a'cl'am-shell bucket F, suspended from idg B by a hoisting cable F,.which cable at its op osite end is provided with a counterweight f and intermediate its ends extends over the hoisting drum F A tri pin izableF lies in the groove of a sheave 5 .f 2 on t is clam-shell bucket F, its'other end being Power to [wound upon an opening-drum F.

rotate the hoisting-drum F and the openingdrum'F is supplied by any suitable prime rnover. (Not s own.)

M An endless traction-cable G is carried by the bridge B and the elevated frontage-platform C, said cable extending from a driving means (not shown) in the structure C at a point beneath the elevated platform 0, along 3o the side 0 of the endless track 0', across the bridge between the rails of the track B, around'the loop B, (being guided by the rollers B of said loop,) returning across the bridge between the rails of the track B entering the endless track 0 on the side C thereof, extending around the curved end 0 of said loop-track, being guided by the rollers C, thence along the side C of the loop, around the other curved end C of the loop- '40 track, and downward throu h the platform C to said driving means. T. e carryin -cars C are adapted to grip the traction-ca le G and to make the circuit described by the tracks of the loop C and the bridge B. The cars A of the loading system'are adapted to run upon the track A, which may be extended from the dock to any convenient point'as, for instance, to the deck of a vessel moored at the dock.

In operation the unloading-platform C is i moved in any convenient way into proximity with the vessel to be unloaded, which vessel has previously been placed beside that portion of the dock to which its cargo is to be transferred. The bridge B is then moved with relation to said unloading-platform G into a position to span that portion of the dock upon which the cargo of the vessel is to be deposited. The unloading-towers I) are then moved relatively to'the unloadingplatform C, so that they will be in a position coincident with the respective hatchways of the vessel. The unloading clam-shell bucket of each of the unloading towers isthen operated in the usual manner to remove the states 7 f connected with. the endless traction-cable G by any suitable means, as by a gripping device. (Not shown.) Motion having previous] been transmitted to the endlesscable G, t e carrying-cars C are caused to travel along the side 0 of the loop G aroundthe curved and O" ofysaid" loop, over a portion of the side C- of said'loop, around the curve 13 carried by the bridge B, over said curve onto the bridge-track B; and outward upon said bridge to a positionwhere'its contents are dumped into ;the storage space A. [The travel of the car 0 is continued along the bridgetrack B said 'car passingthence around the loop B", returnin across the bridge B on the track B over t e curve B, carried by said bridge, and onto the track C at the side of the loop C,

side C and to the startingint. 'The car thence passing around the curved end 0 of said loop to the is stopped under any one o the unloading- L towers D and is again loaded and connected with the endless cable G to be carried around the cable-loop.

' When the storage-space A on the dock is to be unloaded. the clam-shell bucket F-raises material from said storage-space and discharges it into the chute B, from which chute said materialruns into the carryingcars A, by means of which cars it may be transported to any desirable point.

It is apparent that the apparatus herein shown is susceptible of inany modifications without departing from'the spirit and scope of my invention, wherefore I desire to have it understood that I do not limit myself to the precise form illustrated and described.

I-claim as my invention- 1. In a traveling conveyer system, in combination, a longitudinally-movable 'latform of elongatedrectangular form; abri ge movable longitudinally of said platform, said bridge spanning the storage-space; and a traction-track extending over said platform and said bridge.

.2. In a traveling conveyer system, in combination, a longitudinally-movable platform; a bridge movable longitudinallyof said plat-..

form; and a continuous loop track extending over said platform and said bridge.

3.- In a traveling conveyer system, in com v bination, a. longitudinally-movable platform; a bridge movable longitudinally of said platform; a continuous loop-track extending over said platform and said bridge; and an endless traction-cable for said loop-track.

4. In a traveling conveyer system, in combination, a platform; a bridge movable longitudinally of said platform; a traction-track in continuous loop form upon said platform;

connect with the loop-track upon saidplatand a traction-track upon said bridge adapt- I ed to connect with the loop-track upon said platform.

5. In a traveling conveyor system, in combination, a platform; a bridge movable longitu'dinally of said platform; in continuous loop formu on said platform; a traction-track upon" sai bridge adapted to connect with the loop-track upon said platform; and an endless traction-cable for said traction-tracks.

6. In a travelingconveyer system, bination, aplatform;

in com- .a bridge movable longitudinally of said platform; a traction-track in continuous loop form upon said platform; a double traction-track on said bridge, the ends of the track upon'the bridge being connected with one side of the looptraek on the platform by means of curves; and an endess traction-cable for said traction-tracks. 7-. In a traveling conveyer system, in combination, a longitudinally-movable platform;

abridge movable beside and long tudinally of said platform; a traction-track in continuous loop form upon said latform; and a traction-track upon said bridge adapted to form.

8. In a traveling conveyer system, in combination, a longitu'dinally-movable platform; a brid e movable beside and longltudinally of sai platform; a traction-track in continuous loop form upon said platform a traetion-track upon said bridge adapted to eon nect with the loop-track upon said platform;

combination, a longitudinally-movable lat, form; a tower supported by said lat orm and movable longitudinally thereo and a' said platform.

bridge movable besideand longitudinally'of a traction-track said tower; and

11. In a traveling conveyer system, in combination, a longitudinally-movable latform; a tower supported upon said plat orm and movable longitudinally thereof; abridge movable beside and platform; and a traction-track extending over said platform and said bridge.

1.2. In a traveling conveyor system, in combination, a longitudinally-movable latform; a tower supported upon said plat orm and movable longitudinally thereof; a bridge movable beside and. longitudinally of said platform; a traction-track extending over said platform and said bridge into proximity with a traction-cable for said traction-track.

13. In a traveling conveyor system, in combination, a longitudinally-movable latform; a tower supported upon said plat orm and movable longitudinally thereof; a bridge movable beside. and longitudinally platform; a continuous loop-track extending over said platform and said bridge into proximity wit 1 saidtower; and an endless traction-cable for said traction-track.

14. In a traveling conveyor system, in

- combination; a longitudinally-movable platform; an unloading-tower su ported upon ongitudinally said platform and movable thereof; a bridge movable beside'and longitudinally of said platform; a traction-track in continuous loop form upon said platform; a traction-track upon. said bridge adapted to connect with the loop-track upon said platform; and an endless traction-cable for said traction-tracks.

15. In a traveling conveyer system, in

combination, a longitudinally-movable platform; an unloading-tower su said platform and movable thereof; a bridge movable with relation to said latform; a traction-track in continuous oop form on said platform; a double traction-track on said bridge, the ends of the ported upon longitudinally of said ongitudinally of said track upon the bridge being connected with i one side of the loop-track on the platform by means of curves; and an endless tractioncable for said traction-tracks.

CHARLES BERGHOEFER.

. Witnesses:

L. L. MILLER, GEORGE L. CHINDAH 

